Chapter 5

3 years ago

hp07

@hp07

Uday grabs his water bottle and gun and follows her path. He finds her drinking water from the river “what are you doing?” he says startling Manyata. She turns to him and says “can’t you see I am drinking water”

“princess stop, drink from here. Hum toh Mazak..”

“I don’t need it, tu jaa na” replies M. Before Uday can reply, M loses her balance and slips into the water.  It was deeper than she anticipated. She starts flapping her hand and trying to move toward shore. Uday drops everything and runs towards her. He gives her his hand but she refuses to take it. Frustrated, he goes into the water and grabs her. Manyata resists his help, slapping and pushing his hands away. Nonetheless, Uday helps her to the shore. He gives her a death stare, pick up his stuff and walks away angry. Manyata follows at a distance. Unknown to her, he made sure she was safely behind the whole way. It was fairly dark by the time they get back. Once at the camp, he hangs his wet shirt to dry and starts a fire. He ignores her. M quietly sits to the log across for him. She looked at him but he looked everywhere except for her. Uday was trying to calm himself from his frustration of her never listening to him and constantly putting him down. On the other side, M was freezing in her wet clothes as she didn’t have change.  She sat shivering trying to take as much heat from the fire. Uday finally notices her and grabs a spare shirt he had brought. She was surprised by his gesture and takes it.

She goes to tent and M comes out wearing his shirt.  Shirt was short so she kept pulling it down as she walked to her spot. Usually he would have smirked at her antics but today he was mesmerized by her: the fire, the atmosphere, and that shirt. He tried to ignore her but it was hard. The next thing he knows she was walking toward him. She stood in front of him, staring into his eyes. Uday couldn’t help it, he caressed her cheek and was surprised she didn’t swat it away. He pulls her close, she didn’t push and so he leans in… as soon as their lips were about to touch, a noise frightens M and she gasps. Uday looks to see M sitting across from him. ‘just a dream’ he thinks. On the other side, scared from noise, M goes toward Uday. ‘what the hell’ he thinks and gets up ‘is this déjà vu, is this going to happen’. But M comes and sits next to Uday at a distance. Disheartened he goes to the tent.

As it had been a while, Uday decides to check on M. He finds her sleeping. 

“Manyata” she lightly tapping her shoulder. “bed is inside” 

M gets up and goes inside but was nervous having to share space with Uday. She sees beds in either corner with plenty space between. Tired, she drops on her sleeping bag without much thought.

M was first to wake up in the morning, she gets up feeling refreshed. It took her a minute to realize where she was. ‘his bed is as is’ she thinks and ventures out to see Uday sleeping outside with his gun next to him. She slyly picks up the gun. Uday opens his eyes to see Manyata holding a gun to his head. He smirks causing M to bring the gun closer to his forehead. “you really think you can kill me”

“Yes I can” replies M

“Shoot then” instigate Uday, she doesn’t reply “Come’on shoot princess, this maybe be the only chance you get”

“I want to but then who would drive me home” she replies

he smirks at his comment “you think it will set you free from your miseries right, then do it”

“if you don’t shut up then I will… now get up”

“kya huya  - are you hesitating?” trying to annoy her. M, now provoked tries to scare him. Uday is smiling the whole time, infuriating her further. In a swift motion, he takes the gun from her “tisk tisk princess”. M was surprised “I am an experienced player”

M tries to go back to the tent “halkat kahika”

“uh uh princess. Don’t tempt me, I will not hesitate to shoot (M gives him a ya right look) sweetheart you are not that special” adds Uday with a serious look. She stops and he grabs her hands ties them in the back.

“what are you doing?”

“ab hum shikar shikar khelenge, you will walk (pointing) this way and I will wait up there (point to the treetop) for animals”

“What?” shocked M yells “ you are using me as a bait?”

“lets go.. start walking”

Swearing non-stop, she starts walking. Shortly after, Uday heard Manyata shriek. “damn it Princess” he jumps off the tree and follow the voice. Freaked out M, kept yelling for help.  There on the other side of the forest, someone else hears her shrieks as well. Uday gets to M first “shh princess, stop yelling”

“ halkat, yeh sab there galti hai” says M

“hush you can yell at me later” he extends his hand to help her up. She goes for his hand this time without much fuss. Depth of the hole was more, so he lowers himself further and their hand meet. He pulls with all his might, crushing his arm against a sharp rock and gets her out. “are you okay” he asks. As they were about to leave someone says “kaha tha ne humne, yaha se ek ladki ki awaz aayi”

“haan bhaiyya… maal toh bahut mast hai” says another.

U and M look at each other. Little did they know that the forest had been also occupied by 3 fugitive. Uday moves in front of her completely, holding on to her hand. Two fugitives laugh “oye chikne, chal nikal” says one, 

“zayada hero mat ban, teri bhalai isme hai k iss chammiya ko idar chhod ke ja” adds the other one.

He whispers to M “when I tell you - just run. Don’t look back, don’t stop, get to the highway” says Uday

“but…” she gets cut off 

“for once please just do as I say” whispers an angry U. She nods. He steps back slowly as the three goons move forward and try to surround them. Uday says “go now” and M runs. One of the goon goes to follow her but Uday pulls him by his arm and slams his head to the tree trunk pretty hard. He grabs the other one who tried to go after M and pushes him toward the last one to hold them both back.

M gets to their campsite, she grabs the gun and pauses as Uday words circle her minds ‘. don’t look back., don’t stop’… She tries to leave but couldn’t get herself to do it.  Flashbacks of time they spend together pulls her back and she runs back to him. As she gets close, she sees Uday struggling to hold them back. The third goon, wakes up. “Uday” yells Manyata … Uday’s focus veers off to M and he gets scared to see her there again. The two goons take the opportunity and grab hold of him. 

The third goon takes a small knife from his shoe. “baas ab bahut go gaya tera natak”

“dur raho usse varna acha hai hoga” pointing at him with the gun. Three goons laughs, and third guy says “dekh chammiya, tere piya kya haal karta hoon” he turns to Uday, scaring M. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. Something in her awakes, her Royal blood boils and she points the gun and shoot, striking the goon in his arm. Uday takes advantage and hits the two guys holdings him. He runs to M, who hands him the gun and he shoots toward them. The three goons run away. Relieved M starts crying and thanking god. 

“princess don’t cry” and hug her. She also holds him back “waise thanks for not listening to me” he says making M smile. “let’s go before they come back” Both run toward the camp, Uday grabs car keys, other necessary items and leave. After stopping at police station, Uday drops M off.

At Mahal, Vijay bhai spots his mom speeding to Jai’s room with a grin on her face. He follows to investigate. "you missed the sight of the year, Uday was carrying your dear sister in the palace” says Menaka trying to add salt to Jai’s wounds. Both add harsh word about Manyata, while laughing. Vijay wanted to give them earful but knew it was no use. However, he was excited about some things. He heads to M’s room to hear more details.

Door flings open “M-bhai” says vijay, lightening up M’s mood. They chat for a while and M tell him everything that happened in the jungle. How she injured herself on the way to the car and how Uday carried her inside. 

“wow M bhai, I am glad you are safe. But you had to be as Yuvraj Udayveer Singh was with you”

“uss halkat ka naam bhi mat lo, sab uski galti hai he took me to that hell”. She goes on and on about her hatred for him. Vijay smiles a little, which makes her stop “kya huya, why are you smiling”

Vijay says “you are still fighting I see?”

“I am not fighting with anyone vijaybhai, ab toh I am use to” 

“not with anyone, with yourself” says Vijay, making Manyata confused “ you can’t make yourself hate someone forcefully. As much as you hate to admit it Uday is a big part of your life and deep down there is something you feel for him…whatever those feeling may be” Vijay greets her bye and heads to his routine.

After getting home, Uday gets refreshed. He was about to head out, when Komal come to visit him. “Khamagini Komal aunty, aap yaha?” 

“haan beta, I wanted to talk to you about your and Manayat’s wedding” (he nods yes) “you know how Rajmata has been waiting to see you both together since you were kids. And I don’t think with her in coma, it is the right time for wedding” she goes on saying few more things and Uday knew what she wanted to hear “Ji aunty I can understand” she pats her cheek and leaves.

Uday was sitting in his office, lost in thoughts until someone bangs on his desk. “where are you lost mister?”

“just thinking… so whats up?” says Uday. 

“you tell me what’s bothering you?” asks Kabir. 

Uday tells him about his conversation with Komal and adds “just felt like she was trying to buy some time for Manyata. I mean this is what Dadishaheb wanted then…” 

Kabir interrupts Uday “well you have nothing to worry about” as he hands him a paper. Uday eyes almost pops out of his sockets reading the paper.  

It was almost 11pm, and Komal visits DS’s office to find Manyata working hard along with Vijay and Jay sleeping on the sofa with a file. “beta, go to sleep. Its late” With help of Vijay, Komal takes Jay to her room. Manyata wraps up her work and leaves shortly after to her room. As she is heading up the stairs, her father comes in the palace stumbling, reeking of alcohol. He yells for a servant and ask them to make a drink. Komal paces down the stairs and asks him to keep it down. He tells her to let him be, leading Manyata to interfere. “Yuvraniji why don’t you stay out of our family matter” M was hurt again but was done taking his hatred

“baas datta” she says shocking her parents. She had never acknowledged him as her father always called him ‘maharaj’. First time she addressed their relationship and that too by calling him Datta, Brij was emotional. M continues “I know I haven’t been easy to live with and I know I have created problems for you. But have you ever tried to understand from my side. Do you know how it feels to know you have lived a lie all your life? The person who you considered your father had kidnapped you? And how it feels to be thrown into another house with new people, who constantly try to change you? I am slowly adjusting and doing my best. With DadiShaheb in coma, it is even harder. If you can’t be supportive atleast let me be” saying this she retires to her room. Brij felt bad and first time he was able to put himself in M’s house. He decides to be more supportive to his family rather than how he has been lately.

Preview:

She runs after him, eyes only on him, screaming his name on top of her lungs. But he doesn’t respond to her at all. She sees him sitting in a car and picks up her pace without looking. A loud horn gets her attention and she realizes she was standing in the middle of the road. A car approaches her fast. Her legs freeze and she closes her eyes anticipating the impact. Uday pulls her to the side in a nick of time.

“Manyata have you gone mad?” screams Uday. She keeps looking at the departed car and doesn’t respond. Uday shakes her hard “Manyata”…. She raises her hand toward the car wanting to stop it. Confused Uday looks at the road and then back at her.  Worry takes over, he softly says “Princess”…. Tears escapes her eyes as she whispers “Akash” pointing to the car. Yet, again Uday's heart shatters into pieces hearing that name from her.